WRITING A FEDERAL RESUME
PURPOSE OF A FEDERAL RESUME
Your federal resume will serve as your application for a position in the Federal Government. It
will be used to verify that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements for a position with the
Federal Government as detailed through the formal Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA). Once
a hiring agency veries that you meet with minimum qualications it may use other assessments
such as interviews or skills testing to identify the best-qualied applicants.
HOW A FEDERAL RESUME IS DIFFERENT THAN A TRADITIONAL RESUME
• Longer – There is usually no page limit; however, 5 is the maximum limit for some agencies.
• More Detail – Includes information such as citizenship, hours worked, supervisor and salary.
• Experience – The experience section is much more detailed in order to demonstrate the
applicant’s qualications. It should detail both experience and related accomplishments.
WHERE TO BEGIN
USAJOBS.gov is the ofcial website for federal jobs and the portal used to apply for most federal
jobs. If you do not already have a resume, it is recommended that you create an account and use
the USAJOBS resume builder to create one. Each federal resume should be tailored to a specic
job announcement. Up to 5 resumes can be saved using the resume builder. USAJOBS.com
provides additional resources and tutorials for creating a federal resume and locating federal jobs.
HEADING
Heading/Personal Information
The heading of a federal resume typically includes more information than a traditional
resume. In addition to your name, address and contact information (email and phone
number), you should also include:
• Country of Citizenship
• Desired Locations (city/state)
• Veterans’ Preference (see below)
• Highest Grade (see below)
• Availability (see below)
• Security Clearances (if applicable)
Veterans’ Preference
U.S. military veterans receive special preference when considered for work in federal positions. To be
eligible for veterans’ preference, you must have been discharged or released from active duty in the
U.S. Armed Forces under honorable conditions. If you are not a veteran, indicate ‘No’.
General Schedule Grade (Series/Pay Grade)
If you worked for the Federal Government previously, include the highest GS level you held.
Otherwise not applicable.